Given all of the misinformation and assumptions being lobbed around on social media, I figured I should take a few minutes to clarify a number of things with respect to my position on the St. George's ward seat vacancy.
At last Monday's Council meeting, Council voted 7-5 in favour of a report about the costs, timing, etc. of a by-election to fill the seat left vacant by Greg Washuta.
I have stated publicly that I am opposed to a by-election at this point in the term, and although it will be a challenge for anyone who doesn't know me to believe it, this is not because I am the next in line if Council chooses to go with an appointment. If it was late into year one or sometime in years two or three, then, yes, absolutely have a by-election, and I would run in it.
As it currently stands, by the time a by-election could be held, the very earliest someone could sit in that chair is April 14. And, as noted by the City Clerk, that is an extremely tight turnaround. It would probably be later than that. At best, the new Councillor would attend 10 meetings. This leaves St. George's ward and the City underrepresented for at least four months.
Further, the City Clerk has already stated that it would cost somewhere between $40,000 and $60,000 to run a by-election, and she indicated that figure does not include all of the costs. I cannot support spending more than the average St. Catharines citizen's annual income on a by-election...again, at this late stage in the term.
Given traditionally low voter turnouts in municipal elections, it is entirely possible that fewer people would turnout to vote in a by-election (also being held in the winter) than who already cast votes for me in the general election of October 2010.
To be very clear, I am not afraid of a by-election. If you honestly think that I'm genuinely afraid of any such thing, you clearly don't know who I am, what I stand for, or what kinds of challenges I am more than willing to take on. In fact, I am certain that I would be successful in a by-election. My stance, though, is that if I don't agree with it, I will not participate in it. That's called having principles. I cannot, in good conscience, get on-board with the City spending that kind of money for someone to sit at the Council table for a few months. People will argue that it's "not that much money" compared to the overall budget for the City, but how many times do we spend "not that much money" before we realize just exactly how much money it really is and what it's doing to our tax bills?
Further, while this is a smaller issue related to this topic, I think that it is unrealistic to ask candidates to mount two election campaigns in the same year. It is also problematic to ask voters to turnout twice in the same year for a municipal election, particularly when there will also likely be a provincial election in the spring.
With respect to comments being made about me having been "rejected" during the last election, let's be honest. I am neither nearly powerful nor influential enough for anyone to have gone to the polls on voting day thinking, "We're going to do whatever we can do keep that Ip woman out." No one did that. I lost to two long-time incumbents who have been good councillors. I ran a very low-budget, signless campaign all by myself and I earned 1,000+ votes. I did not win. That is correct. However, I am certain, based on what I was hearing at the door, that no one was setting out to actively reject me at the polls. They, instead, voted for the councillors they knew.
For anyone to suggest that I would be having the seat "handed" to me, that could not be further from the truth. I worked - and I worked hard - for the votes that I earned. I covered the entire ward, on foot, by myself (with the exception of having one helper for, maybe, a total of 8 hours). I answered every single request from the media, every single survey, every single e-mail and phone call, I blogged, I was on Facebook and Twitter, and I had a website. There was no shortage of work to be done to earn the votes. I did not have the name recognition or the resources that Greg Washuta and Peter Secord had.
It has also been suggested that, because I came third in the 2010 election, I am, therefore, the least qualified candidate. Or, at least, that I'm not qualified enough to sit on Council. I would point you to my list of qualifications, including that I have worked for two mayors and councils, and that I have certifications from the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks, and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO), but that would be redundant.
What I will say, instead, is that - much to my dismay - elections are not often about choosing the most qualified individuals to sit around the Council table. They are, instead, usually about choosing the candidates who were able to put up the most signs and knock on the most doors. They are - often (not always) - little more than popularity contests. If Council seats always went to the most qualified candidates, we would - in most cases - have very different people sitting around the Council table.
Finally, let's discuss the value of incumbency.
Is there value to being the incumbent going into a general election? Of course there is. Generally speaking, that's indisputable. However, at this late stage in the term, and particularly if Council makes a decision quickly, it is debatable how much value that incumbency has. Whomever takes that chair will have very little time to make a name for themselves. There is no "I" (for "incumbent") marked beside candidates' names on ballots anymore (there hasn't been for a few elections now). People will have to have been paying attention.
If Council decides on a by-election, the media contacts me one more time to ask me how I feel about it, and I start campaigning for October. If Council decides to appoint me, as the third place runner up, the media contacts me one more time to ask me how I feel about it, and then I become just another face at the Council table. The sooner Council makes a decision, the less attention I will get.
Given how strongly some people feel about this issue (though I've yet to hear anyone in St. George's ward, who did not have plans to run in a by-election or the general election, have an issue with an appointment), it is possible that I will, in fact, have an uphill battle to prove myself if I am appointed. People will doubt whether I deserved that seat, and I will be scrutinized more closely than other candidates.
I think that covers all of it. As always, please don't hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns.
E-mail: lauraipforstgeorgesward@gmail.com
Twitter: @L__Ip (there's two underscores there)
Facebook: Laura Ip for St. George's Ward
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